Sealing the Story: Plot-holes Q&A

[Rikimaru]

Welcome! This is the place to find all the answers to anything within the story of Avatar that you may question the credibility of. Feel free to post comments, questions, or answers to any of the entries made in this first post. I'll start off with a few to get the topic started, but make sure to add on! I'll be editing the post as more entries are given.

--ENVIRONMENT--
How/Why do the "Hallelujah Mountains" float?
How?

The Hallelujah Mountains (Na'vi named them "Thundering Rocks") are floating islands that circulate slowly in the magnetic currents like icebergs at sea, scraping against each other and the towering mesa-like mountains of the region. On Pandora, huge outcroppings of Unobtainium rip loose from the surface and float in the magnetic vortices due to the Meissner Effect.

Why?
Because it's freakin' cool.

Why don't the RDA simply send one of the Hallelujah Mountain peaks out to space and mine it for its unobtainium deposits?

In the survival guide, it mentions the RDA attempted to mine one mountain and just made it crash, killing a load of RDA people.
The levitation effect probably wouldn't be strong enough to get one into orbit anyway, and it's too big to lift with a shuttle.

--CULTURE--
Why hadn't Neytiri and Tsu'Tey mated already before Jake came along to ruin their destined pairing?

I think the reason they had not mated was due to a couple factors. First when Neytiri says "you may choose a woman" there it is "may choose" it seems after becoming one of the people this just opens the option of choosing a woman. Just like when you turn 21 or whatever and you can legally drink, but it doesn't mean you have to.

I think that they had not mated because it was not time yet for them to take Mo'at's and Eytukan's place as clan shaman and Leader respectively.

--BIOLOGY--
Is there a reason for Na'vis to have nipples?

I found somewhere that James Cameron actually stated that "the Na'vi are not placental animals" so they actually have no use for nipples. But he decided to include them anyway. I'll post the article if I find it again.

--TRUDY--
How does Trudy breathe in her ship without a mask? After her ship is penetrated by bullets?

The cabin is pressurized with fresh air and keeps the toxic air out of the cabin.

The effects of the toxic air and its speed of entry are not instantaneous.

Why was Trudy not subject to any disciplinary action after failing to follow orders AND still given access to high-priority prisoners?

Bet you she called in a mechanical problem, thats what I'd do.

Trudy has 2 racks of missiles on her Samson while distracting Quaritch. Why doesn't she use them?

Maybe she did fire them but it was cut for time.

I also thought she might take the missiles out to make the samson more maneuverable, it is fatter than the scorpion so it could've help reach his more armed cousin w/o the missile weight.

--TSU'TEY--
How did Tsu'Tey know Jake and Neytiri had mated the night before the attack?

About the whole Tsu'tey knowing about J and N mating , I think it's really easy. They come to the camp HOLDING HANDS. At NO time in any previous part of the movie were they holding hands or any kinds of close. He joined the clan and then they were out all night, they came back holding hands. My guess is that Na'vi just don't holds hands with their pals.

Well if you look back at the scene before the whole holding hands part, Tsu'Tey arrived at the human intrusion of bulldozers where Jake and Neytiri just happened to be sleeping.
It all seemed to be a culmination of passive suspicion and the factors said before. Jake had essentially been stealing his life as the pinnacle of attention amongst the clan, Neytiri's partnership, and eventually title as clan leader. It would make sense for Tsu'Tey to suspect or even sense something like this.

Neytiri was rocking the "morning after hair".

--NEYTIRI--
How does Neytiri know where Jake is after the fight with Quaritch?

She does know that humans can't breathe Pandora's air. When they attempted the soul transfer for Grace, Neytiri removed her mask when her human body died. It's likely she knows at least a little about avatars as well, Jake probably told her the basics during the three months they spent together. It's also worth noting that she doesn't know how to turn on the mask, Jake has to do this himself.
In the scene in question, it just takes her a few seconds to put two and two together:

Two things: She saw Quaritch trying to destroy the compound, and I'm sure she heard him tell Jake, that, "it's time to wake up". Plus she knows he has a human body controlling his current one.
Another thing I think helped was their bond, corny as that sounds. I think that's why when he's checking on everyone he skips over Neytiri because he *knows* she's alright, and would feel if she died, and that's also how he might know where she is after she's taken down by Quaritch.
So I'm thinking Neytiri could *feel* Jake in there. JMO.

Neytiri already knows about the Avatar program's function of transferring consciousness between different physical bodies. This is shown cinematically when Neytiri tries to wake up the unconscious Avatar Jake at the Tree of Voices and is not surprised at his mechanical awakening. Because she obviously prevents Quaritch from slitting Jake's throat, we can assume that she knows he isn't dead yet. And then there's the blaring alarm coming from a human construct that can easily be heard unless you're absorbing the tender emotion-provoking music in the background. It's a universal sign that something is wrong.

Why does everyone like Neytiri?
Get out.

[Human No More]

Good idea, putting them in one thread.

[Gogo]

Jake's Avatar has nipples! Never was able to tell if the Na'vi had them. If they have nipples though do they feed their offspring aka mammals?

[topgear]

Why does everyone like Neytiri?
Get out.

that's my favorite right there :D

[Rikimaru]

Jake's Avatar has nipples! Never was able to tell if the Na'vi had them. If they have nipples though do they feed their offspring aka mammals?

I found somewhere that James Cameron actually stated that "the Na'vi are not placental animals" so they have no use for nipples. But he decided to subtly include them anyway. I'll post the article if I find it again.

[Rubicon]

I suggest the following:
Trudy is not wearing a mask after her Samson has been hit by bullets.

The cabin is pressurized with fresh air and keeps the toxic air out of the cabin.

[Jeremiah]

Good idea! Hopefully people will see this before creating more duplicate threads. :P

[Palulukan]

Good thread... lol at the "get out" thing

[Rikimaru]

I suggest the following:
Trudy is not wearing a mask after her Samson has been hit by bullets.

The cabin is pressurized with fresh air and keeps the toxic air out of the cabin.

Done, thanks!

[Tihawnu]

Haha the last one is awesome! Well said Tsumukan, well said.